1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to entertainment systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to automatic tuning within an entertainment system.
2. Description of Related Background Art
Television viewers accept commercial advertisements or “commercials” as a fact of life. Nevertheless, a dislike for commercials motivates many viewers to “channel surf” whenever a commercial break ensues.
Unfortunately, random channel surfing is not very satisfying to viewers for a number of reasons. For instance, viewers sometimes spend the entire period of a commercial break trying to find a worthwhile alternative. Furthermore, if a viewer finds another television program to watch during a commercial break, the viewer may become so absorbed in the new program that he or she does not return to the original broadcast until well after the commercial break has concluded. Accordingly, the viewer may miss significant portions of the original broadcast.